Fine Line
by Genocide Never Again
Summary: There is a fine line between love and hate. What happens when the line blurs and emotions are misread? HaruAkaMaru. Yaoi. Sorry about the crappy title and summary!


Sorry about the crappy title, my mind is currently in a state of loco due to the holidays. I would also like to point out now that not only is this story _yaoi_ but also boy on boy on boy, as in a threesome so if you normally have problems with twosomes than this story isn't for you and I suggest that click on the back button and find a nice het story to read...I would like to apologise now for any OOCness that may occur during the story. It has been a while since I read or watched the series so feel free to point any mistakes in the characters.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis, it belongs to wonderful Konomi Takeshi. If I owned it there would be no girls and there would be yaoi left, right and centre.**

* * *

_**Fine Line**_

It was a normal day; the sun was shining, the birds were singing and everything was peaceful in general. Too bad that wasn't going to last for much longer.

Afternoon tennis practice at Rikkai had ended and only the regulars remained, having been kept back for a meeting, and now all they wanted to do was go home, put their feet up and pig out. Tennis practice was very tiring after all. Fortunately for one Marui Bunta, he could commence pigging out immediately. He dug through his school bag for a chocolate bar, an action that did not go unnoticed by Akaya.

"Ne, Marui-senpai, can I have that please?" He asked, sending his senpai the puppy eyes. Unfortunately for him, Marui was apparently immune to them.

"No way, Akaya, get your own! I earned this!" Marui said as brought the chocolate closer to his body possessively.

"But Marui-senpai!" Akaya whined as tried to grab the chocolate bar from the self-proclaimed tensai. Marui held it above his head in an attempt to get it away from the childish second year only to scowl when he realised that Akaya was now taller than him. Marui instead settled on hiding behind Jackal.

"Wait till you get home Akaya!"

"But I'm hungry now! Come on, Marui-senpai, you had cake during practice!"

"That was for stamina!" Niou snorted at that one.

"Stamina my foot. Why don't you just give the brat the damn chocolate bar, fatty?" Marui glared at Niou who smirked.

"What did you call me?" Marui glared.

"Are you deaf? Is the fat covering your ears, fatty?" Marui seethed.

"I am not fat! Shut up!" The regulars, used to the fights by now, just tuned the two out. Three, if you included Akaya who was still whining for the chocolate bar. They were forced to tune in, however, when a loud clattering noise sounded from the trio's direction. All of regulars quickly looked round to see Niou and Akaya, both looking slightly surprised, and Marui whose hair was covering his eyes and his shoulders were shakings with what they presumed to be anger. A chocolate bar lay on the floor behind Niou and Akaya, having been thrown against the lockers, the cause of the clattering noise, and dropped to the floor when Marui had thrown at the two in front of him. A slow smirk spread across Niou's face and he started to talk.

"Man, Marui, I knew you were fat but I didn't know you were a girl as well. Why didn't you tell us that it was that time-"

"Shut up." The words were whispered but Niou stopped talking nonetheless. Marui looked up and everybody was shocked to see tears in his eyes, the real cause of his shaking shoulders. "Please just shut up."

"Marui-senpai…" Marui grabbed his bag and ran out of the clubroom, the door slamming shut behind him. The others stood in silence for a few moments before Yagyuu spoke up.

"I think you went too far this time, Niou-kun." He intoned.

"How exactly? I say the exact same thing to him every single day and he's never reacted like that before!" Niou protested.

"That's probably what the problem is. You insult him every day even though he's supposed to your best friend and I guess he's gotten sick of it." Yukimura said. "You'd better apologise to him tomorrow, Haru. You too, Akaya, you tease Marui a lot as well."

"We only tease him 'cause he eats so much and 'cause he is fat." Akaya pouted.

"Tarundoru! Akaya, don't disrespect your elders!" Sanada reprimanded the boy.

"Besides, Marui doesn't eat as much as he used to. I mean, he still eats a lot during practice to keep up stamina but at lunch his appetite seems to less than the average persons. In fact, outside of practice he hardly eats sweets nowadays." Jackal told them. All the regulars looked slightly surprised at this information, even Yanagi.

"If that's the case then you two better apologise to him tomorrow. You've obviously hurt his feelings. Akaya?" Yukimura looked expectantly at his kouhai.

"Okay, Mura-buchou." Akaya agreed somewhat reluctantly.

"Haru?"

"Fine, I'll apologise. I'll get him the most calorie laden cake I can find; if that doesn't say you're not fat then I don't know what does." Niou grumbled as he picked up his bag and made his way to the day. "See you guys tomorrow, puri."

_The Next Day_

"Eh? What do ya mean he's not here?" Niou yelled at Jackal as they got changed for morning practice. Jackal carried on changing as normal as if his ears weren't bleeding from the loudness of Niou's yell.

"He called me this morning to tell me that he was ill and wouldn't be coming in today." Jackal explained again calmly.

"For fuck's sake! I even went and bought him a cake! Do you know how much stick I got from my sister for that?" Niou growled with a scowl. "I bet he isn't even sick. I bet he just didn't want to show his face after crying like a girl yesterday."

"Calm down, Haru, I don't believe that's the case." Yukimura said calmly with a smile. "Renji, what are the chances of Marui doing that?"

"6.4%. However, having said that, there was only a 3.6% chance of him crying in public and only 0.8% chance of him even considering cutting back on sweets let alone actually doing it. Given the recent trend, Niou might be correct." Yanagi reeled off.

"See, Mura-buchou? Marui's just being over sensitive. Do we have to apologise to him?" Akaya whined.

"Marui-senpai and yes, you do." Yukimura corrected him gently. "I want you two to go to his house after school and apologise. You can miss practice to go, I'll talk to Genichirou. And don't worry about missing practice; discord among the team will cause more problems then you not practicing for one day. Okay?" Yukimura gave them his best 'do-what-I-say-or-you'll-be-wearing-your-balls-for-earmuffs' smile. Niou and Akaya both gulped and nodded.

"Hai, buchou!"

That afternoon saw Niou and Akaya standing in front of the Marui residence instead of at tennis practice where they wanted to be. Niou knocked loudly on the door and waited.

"Looks like you didn't knock loud enough, Niou-senpai." Akaya sneered after they stood there for a couple of minutes.

"Shut up bratling." Niou said as he tried to hit the boy. Akaya dodged the incoming hit and also knocked on the door. They waited for a few more minutes but still nobody came.

"And you insult my knocking skills, brat." Niou snorted. "We'll try one more time and then I'm going." Niou knocked again, practically punching the door. Halfway through the door burst open to reveal a grumpy and tired looking Marui.

"What do you guys want?" He snapped. Niou held up a folder and a cardboard box.

"We come bearing gifts." He deadpanned. "The teacher told me to give you your homework and Mura told us to apologise to you for yesterday. Mind if we come in?" Marui glanced at duo suspiciously but stepped away from the door to let them in. He took the cake from Niou and walked into the kitchen.

"Do you two want anything to drink?" He called through to the living room where Niou and Akaya were making themselves comfortable. He got two negatives. Marui walked into the living room and leaned against the doorframe.

"So, Marui-senpai, how ya feeling?" Akaya asked. "You don't look that ill."

"I'm feeling a lot better than I did earlier." Marui answered. "What are you two doing here anyway? I doubt you came just to enquire after my health."

"We already told you; I came to give you your homework and Mura told us to come and apologise for what we said yesterday. Are you deaf or something?" Niou snorted. Marui frowned.

"Don't call me deaf!" He snapped.

"Calm down, Marui-senpai! Your mood swings are worse than a girls!" Akaya laughed, not really registering what he was saying.

"I'm not a girl!" Marui yelled, tears starting to gather in his eyes. Niou laughed.

"Sure you're not! That's why you're crying like a chick!" Marui flushed angrily.

"Shut up!" He yelled. "Shut up and get out! This is my house and you cannot just waltz in here and start insulting me! Get out!" Niou and Akaya stopped laughing.

"Marui-sen-"

"Get. Out." Marui gritted out. The two quickly gathered their things. Akaya looked back over his shoulder but Marui refused to look at them. Akaya followed Niou and left, the door slamming behind the two. Marui stood still for a few minutes before sliding down against the wall, pressing his hands against his wet eyes. "Damnit. Damnit all to hell…"

Marui was pain. Not just physical pain caused by his current ill health, but mental pain as well. He was in love. Being in love normally was painful but being in love with another boy? That was on a whole other level. And when you were in love with not just one boy but two, then it was twice the pain. Especially when he had just yelled at them to get out of his house. Not exactly the best way to convince someone to be your boyfriend.

Yes, Marui Bunta was in love with Niou Masaharu and Kirihara Akaya. That was why it hurt so much every time they teased him. That was why he always fought with them to cover his blush as anger. That was why he had finally broken down yesterday and started crying.

Marui slowly raised himself to his feet and started to stagger towards the kitchen. His head hurt and he needed aspirin. Halfway there he noticed something in the hallway; a bag. A bag that was not his. He knelt down next to it and quickly searched for a nametag or something of the like. He found one and turned it over: 'Kirihara Akaya'. Marui groaned. How Akaya forgot his bag, he did not know but he did know that he had better catch up with the second year and return it to him. Marui sighed and quickly slipped on a pair of trainers and a light jacket. His pyjamas consisted of a white T-shirt and grey jogging bottoms so he wouldn't look too strange going out as he was. He grabbed the bag and made his way outside, making sure to grab his key on the way out. Marui looked up at the sky; it looked like it was going to rain soon but Marui hoped that it would hold off until he got back. He shouldered the bag and set off jogging in the direction that he hoped the other two had gone in.

* * *

Niou and Akaya walked towards the nearest bus stop that would take them back to school. If they hurried than they would just be able to catch the last half hour of tennis practice.

"We'd better tell Yukimura so the others have time to calm him down. Why does Marui have to be so difficult?" Niou sighed. Akaya looked up at his senpai and a thought struck him.

"Niou-senpai, do you like Marui-senpai?" Akaya got the pleasure of watching the trickster blush splutter at that one.

"What the hell makes you think that, brat?" Niou shouted at the younger.

"When you two aren't fighting, you're always laughing and looking like your having a good time; the only other person you look that happy with is Yagyuu-senpai. He's also the only person that you never prank besides Mura-buchou and nobody pranks Mura-buchou." Akaya said. A small smile spread across his lips. "Also, you look at him the same way I do." Niou looked at him.

"You like Marui too?" Niou asked. Akaya nodded. He bit his lip and looked up at Niou. "Yes, Akaya?" Akaya balled up his courage and took a deep breath.

"I also like Niou-senpai." He whispered, blushing. Niou's eyes widened in surprise and he looked down at the younger boy. He reached out a hand and touched Akaya's face. Akaya looked up. "Niou-senpai?" Niou leaned down and gently covered the boy's lips with his own. He stayed there for a few seconds before pulling back.

"I like you too." Niou confessed. "Not quite as much as Marui, I admit, but still a hell of a lot more than you're supposed to like a friend and since he probably hates me now, I was wondering…" Akaya reached up and pecked him on the lips.

"Being nervous doesn't suit you, Niou-senpai. And the answer is yes." Akaya smiled. "Now we'd better call Mura-buchou. Lemme get my phone…eh? I think I've left my bag at Marui-senpai's…" Akaya looked up at Niou who sighed.

"I guess we'll have to go back to Marui's house." Niou said, as they turned round. He looked up and Marui standing at the end of the road. Marui had a hand in front of his mouth and he seemed to be shaking his head in denial. "Marui?" Akaya looked as well.

"Marui-senpai?" Akaya took a step forward but Marui dropped the bag he was carrying and took off in the opposite senpai. "Come on, Niou-senpai, we'd better follow him!" The two quickly followed, only stopping briefly to pick up Akaya's bag. By this time it was starting to rain.

Marui panted as he ran through the park. His chest hurt, his throat burned and his body felt like lead. The only consolation he had was that the rain cooled down his feverish skin. Marui stopped running and leaned against a tree, his breath coming out in short, sharp gasps. His head pounded and his legs felt shaky. Marui's vision swam and he felt himself falling. Instead of feeling grass around him, however, he felt a pair of arms encircling his waist. He looked up and saw Niou and Akaya above him.

"Gods, Marui, I didn't think you were actually ill." He heard Niou say. He struggled into a sitting up position.

"Of course…I am…why…do you think…I missed…school?" Marui panted as he tried to stand up and failed miserably. Before he could try again, Niou picked him up bridal style. Normally Marui would blush but right now his head hurt too much for him to care.

"Come on, Marui-senpai, let's get you out of this rain." He heard Akaya say softly somewhere to his left. Niou secured his grip on Marui and ran towards the redhead's house as quickly as conditions allowed, Akaya behind him. Using the spare key kept underneath a plant pot in the front garden, the three were soon inside. Niou made his way up to Marui's bedroom where he ordered Akaya to find some towels and a pair of warm pyjamas. It was only when Niou started to pull off his T-shirt that Marui fully comprehended the situation and started to react.

"Let go! I can get changed myself!" Marui said, blushing lightly in embarrassment. Ever since he had stopped running his breath had evened out and it was a lot easier to talk. He pushed Niou away only to fall back on to his bed from the lack of support. Niou snorted.

"Of course you can." He said sarcastically as he reached for the hem of Marui's shirt. Marui struggled but Niou eventually tugged the shirt off just as Akaya walked in. They both gasped. Marui had always been one of the lighter regulars but they had always put that down to his lack of height and muscle. This, however, completely disproved those theories. Akaya sat down next to Marui and placed a hand on his side, biting his as he felt Marui's ribs through his skin. Akaya laid his head on Marui's shoulder.

"Why, Marui-senpai?" He asked quietly. Marui bit his lip.

"I just haven't felt that hungry lately…" He answered, not looking at either of them. Niou placed a hand Marui's shoulder.

"Oi, Maru, you do know that we were just joking when we said that stuff, right? We didn't mean any of it…" Marui bit his lip harder and closed his eyes as tears leaked out.

"I know, Haru, I know. It still hurts, though, to be called fat every single day by your best friends. It still hurts!" Marui sobbed, covering his face with his hands. Niou and Akaya quickly moved to comfort him. Marui carried on. "It doesn't matter how much you don't believe it, if you say it often enough people will believe you! I will believe you! It hurts to think that the two people that I _love _can insult me so easily without even caring if it hurts me! It hurts! It hurts so much…"

Marui continued to cry in Niou's embrace, not fully realising what he had just said. Niou and Akaya looked at each other over Marui's head and came to a mutual agreement to ask the redhead about what he had said when he calmed down. They didn't get a chance, however, as Marui cried himself to sleep. They quickly changed him out of his wet clothes and tucked him in, Niou fetching a wet cloth from the bathroom to place on Marui's forehead in an attempt to bring his temperature down. Akaya sat on the edge of the bed, one hand stroking the sick boy's tousled hair.

"Niou-senpai, what do you think Marui-senpai meant by the two people that he loves? And why did he run away earlier?" Akaya asked softly, his hand travelling down from Marui's hair and cupping the boy's cheek. Niou frowned at the question.

"I don't know but I think I might've been wrong when I said Marui hated me. Dead wrong."

The two stayed by Marui's side for hours as they watched his fever sometimes get better but on the whole, steadily got worse, neither of them knowing what to do. The storm raged on, lightning and thunder flashing through the sky, causing the lights to flicker on and off and the boy in to whimper and roll on to his side as he tried to get away from the noise. Their vigil was broken around seven o'clock by the distant shrill of the telephone. Niou clambered to his feet and went downstairs to get the telephone.

"Hello, this Niou Masaharu speaking."

"_Oh, hello Niou-kun. This is Bunta's mother speaking. How is Bunta?"_

"At the moment he's resting."

_"Oh, good. Niou-kun, I've got a favour to ask you. I'm currently at my mother's with the rest of the family and it's too dangerous to drive back home in this storm so I was wondering if you could look after Bunta for me?"_

"Yeah, I can do that."

_"Thank you so much! We should be back sometime tomorrow morning. Please take good care of Bunta! Bye!"_

"Bye." Niou said as he put the phone down and headed back upstairs. He entered the bedroom and Akaya looked up curiously. "It was his mother. Saying that she couldn't make it back tonight and asking us to look after Marui." Akaya snorted lightly.

"Like she needs to tell us." He muttered. Niou reached over to ruffle the younger boy's hair.

"May I please remind you that it is our fault that he is sick." He said gently. "We'd better call our families to let them know we're staying the night. No point getting them worried." Akaya agreed and after phoning their families, they resumed their bedside vigil. The hours wore on and nothing changed and the two boys eventually succumbed to sleep as the hour became late. There was no movement in the room save for the rise and fall of three chests.

Things changed round two o'clock. The storm had lightened to just a slightly heavy pitter-patter against the windowpane. Marui's eyes opened slowly and he sat up slowly, blinking a few times as he slowly gained his bearing. Something fell on to his lap and he picked up the long since dry cloth.

"Marui-senpai?" Marui jumped and looked to the side.

"Akaya?" Or at least that's what he tried to say. It came out kinda scratchy and he winces as throat hurt. Akaya stood up.

"Wait here, I'll go get you a glass of water." Marui nodded, lying back down as he waited for Akaya.

"Are you feeling any better?" Marui shot immediately back up again and saw Niou slightly to the right of where Akaya had been. Marui nodded, not trusting his voice until Akaya got back with that water, blushing when Niou put a hand against his forehead. "Your temperature has definitely gone down, which is good. Me and Akaya were really worried about you." Marui was saved from blushing even more when Akaya came in with the water. He gratefully accepted it.

"Thank you." Marui said when his throat felt normal again. Akaya smiled and Niou smirked a little.

"You're welcome." Akaya said. He seemed to want to say more but he hesitated and looked at Niou. Niou nodded. "Um, Marui-senpai, do you mind if we asked you a couple of questions?"

"Sure?" Marui said uncertainly, not really sure what was going on. Akaya took a deep breath.

"What did you mean yesterday by the two people that you love? And why did you run away from us?" Marui blushed instantly and looked down at his duvet. He mumbled something that Akaya and Niou couldn't hear. "Hmm?" Akaya prompted.

"What I mean was…well…I like these two people…" Marui mumbled audibly.

"And? Who are they?"

"It's…it's…it's you two, okay?" Marui blurted out, looking away, his face as red as his hair. "Not that it matters. I saw you two kissing. It's obvious you like each other." Marui closed his eyes to stop himself from crying.

"Oh, Marui…" He heard Niou sigh. He gasped when he felt someone straddle his waist and looked up to see Akaya. Akaya leaned down to kiss one cheek whilst Niou gently kissed the other. "Whilst it's true that Akaya and I like each other, it's also true that we both like you. Wasn't it obvious?" Niou breathed into his ear and gave the lobe a small nip. Marui shivered.

"I-I didn't notice." Niou laughed.

"Silly boy. And you're supposed to be a tensai." Niou teased. "Well, since you like both of us, why don't we try something a little…different? What do you say?" Marui nodded. "Akaya?" The boy grinned.

"I say we teach our silly, little tensai a few lessons…" Akaya purred as they both advanced on Marui with predatory grins. Let's just say that they had a _very_ interesting weekend and that Marui learnt a _lot_ of new things.

- Owari -

- Omake -

_Monday Morning_

Marui leaned against the wall of the clubhouse as he waited outside for some people.

"Marui-sama! Marui-sama!" Marui looked to the side to see some of his fangirls coming towards him. "Are you feeling any better, Marui-sama?"

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you." Marui smiled.

"What are you doing out here?"

"I'm waiting for some friends." His fangirls pouted.

"They can't be very good friends if they're making you wait in the cold when you've just been ill. Who are they? We'll teach them some manners!" Marui sweatdropped but before he could pacify the girls he was interrupted.

"Marui-senpai!" Akaya bounded over to Marui and gave him a kiss. Before the girls could react someone else came over.

"Hey Maru, Akaya." Niou greeted as he gave them each a kiss on the lips. Marui smiled at the two.

"Morning Akaya, morning Haru." He greeted them. He allowed them to drag him into the clubroom, calling a quick 'see you later' to the fangirls over his shoulder. The fangirls blinked and looked at one another.

"KYAAA!" Just another normal day at Rikkaidai.

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**A/N: Once again, I am very sorry for any OOCness. Feel free to comment on it in your reviews (hint hint). Flames will be used in place of blankets.**


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